Westbrook Fire Chief Warns of Staffing Crisis

Department faces challenges responding to multiple emergencies due to limited personnel.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 10:53pm

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An abstracted, out-of-focus scene of blurred red and blue emergency lights reflecting off wet pavement, conveying the urgency and challenges faced by an understaffed fire department.Westbrook's fire chief warns that limited staffing could lead to tragedy if the city doesn't act to bolster the department's resources.Westbrook Today

Westbrook Fire Chief Steve Sloan is sounding the alarm about dangerously low staffing levels in his department, warning that it will take a tragedy or loss of life before the city takes action to increase funding and hire more firefighters. Sloan pointed to two recent fires that showcased the impact of the staffing shortage, with limited personnel on the scene allowing one fire to grow unchecked and gut a multi-unit apartment building, while adequate staffing at another fire allowed for a rapid response that minimized damage.

Why it matters

The Westbrook Fire Department has maintained a minimum staffing level of nine firefighters since the early 2000s, well below the national guidelines for a department of its size. This leaves the department vulnerable when multiple emergencies happen simultaneously, putting both firefighters and citizens at risk. The fire chief is concerned that call volumes will only increase, further straining the department's limited resources.

The details

On March 19, a cooking fire at a multi-unit apartment building on North Street was responded to by only two firefighters, as the rest were tied up on another call. This allowed the fire to grow unchecked, gutting the building. In contrast, on March 28, a house fire on Chestnut Street was quickly contained thanks to the full complement of two ambulances and two fire engines being able to respond. The fire chief says the department ideally needs 15 firefighters on staff, up from the current 47, but notes that the cost of two new fire engines alone is $3 million.

  • On Thursday, March 19, a cooking fire occurred at 71 North St., a multi-unit apartment building.
  • On Saturday, March 28, a house fire occurred at 15 Chestnut St.

The players

Steve Sloan

The fire chief of the Westbrook Fire Department, who is warning about dangerously low staffing levels in his department.

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What they’re saying

“We staff two ambulances and two fire engines. When there's another call that takes half of those resources, which is what happened on North Street, we had two trucks on a medical call. So that really short-hands us anytime a fire comes in and it makes it incredibly difficult for us to manage that.”

— Steve Sloan, Fire Chief

“I worry about every day. I worry about the lives of our firefighters. I worry about the lives of our citizens and how we protect both of them.”

— Steve Sloan, Fire Chief

What’s next

Sloan said he will continue to ask city administrators for increased staffing and funding to address the department's staffing crisis.

The takeaway

This case highlights the critical need for adequate fire department staffing to ensure public safety and protect both firefighters and citizens. The Westbrook Fire Department's struggle to respond to multiple emergencies simultaneously due to limited personnel is a problem that many fire departments across the country face, and it will likely take a tragic event to spur the necessary funding and reforms.